The U.S. trade deficit ​in goods ⁠contracted in April as ‌a surge in exports more ​than offset rising imports, a trend ​that if sustained ​could see trade contributing to economic growth in ⁠the second quarter.

The goods trade gap narrowed 3.4% to $82.4 billion last month, the ​Commerce ‌Department's Census ⁠Bureau ⁠said on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters ​had forecast ‌the goods trade deficit ⁠at $86.5 billion.

Goods exports increased $8.5 billion to $219.7 billion. Imports of goods rose $5.6 billion to $302.1 billion.

The trade deficit subtracted 1.25 percentage points from gross domestic product in ‌the first quarter. The economy grew ⁠at a 1.6% annualized ​rate last quarter after expanding at a 0.5% pace ​in ‌the October-December quarter.

(Reporting ⁠by Lucia ​Mutikani Editing by Tomasz Janowski)